all have been in Copah, long ago. Even now, if I could get word to him,
I'm sure he would order the car out at once."

She nodded.

"Perhaps he would; quite likely he would--and he would stay here
himself." Then, suddenly: "You may send the _Nadia_ back to Copah on one
condition--that you go with it."

At first he thought it was a deliberate insult; the cruelest indignity
she had ever put upon him. Knowing his weakness, she was good-natured
enough, or solicitous enough, to try to get him out of harm's way. Then
the steadfast look in her eyes made him uncertain.

"If I thought you could say that, realizing what it means--" he began,
and then he looked away.

"Well?" she prompted, and the hand slipped from his shoulder.

His eyes were coming back to hers. "If I thought you meant that," he
repeated; "if I believed that you could despise me so utterly as to
think for a moment that I would deliberately turn my back upon my
responsibilities here--go away and hunt safety for myself, leaving the
men who have stood by me to whatever----"

"You are making it a matter of duty," she interrupted quite gravely. "I
suppose that is right and proper. But isn't your first duty to yourself
and to those who--" She paused, and then went on in the same steady
tone: "I have been hearing some things to-day--some of the things you
said I would hear. You are well hated in the Red Desert, Howard--hated
so fiercely that this quarrel with your men will be almost a personal
one."

"I know," he said.

"They will kill you, if you stay here and let them do it."

"Quite possibly."

"Howard! Do you tell me you can stay here and face all this without
flinching?"

"Oh, no; I didn't say that."

"But you are facing it!"

He smiled.

"As I told you yesterday--that is one of the things for which I draw my
salary. Don't mistake me; there is nothing heroic about it--the heroics
are due to come to-night. That is another thing, Eleanor--another reason
why I want you to go away. When the real pinch comes, I shall probably
disgrace myself and everybody remotely connected with me. I'd a good bit
rather be torn into little pieces, privately, than have you here to be
made ashamed--again."

She turned away.

"Tell me, in so many words, what you think will be done to-night--what
are you expecting?"

"I told you a few moments ago, in the words of the Prayer Book: battle,
and murder, and sudden death. A strike has been planned, and it will
fail. F